Arrangement for ships&#39; hatches



A. WIGELAND 2,945,467

Flled May 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n., mg-L asf/1mm July 19, 1960 A. wlGELAND v 2,945,467

ARRANGEMENT FOR SHIPS' HATCHES Fued May 7, 195e 2 sheets-sheet -2 F/G. 4v

United States Patent .0.

ARRANGEMENT FOR SHIPS HATCHES Amund Wigeland, Tordenskioldsgate 4, Oslo, Norway Filed May 7, 1956, Ser. No. 583,168

Claims priority, application Norway May 12, 1955 Claims. (Cl. 114-202) The present invention concerns sliding ships hatches, constructed as steel covers, fitted with packings, as well as with wheels and guide rails.

The invention is especially characterized by its` distinctive fluid-filled packings and a lifting and lowering device for the hatch covers.

The drawings illustrate an example where Fig. l shows in perspective a sketch of the shelter-deck hatch in a half open position and a tween-deck hatch in fully opened position. Fig. 2 shows a section through the shelter-deck hatch coaming with the cover in closed position. Fig. 3 shows in perspective how two corners of ythe packing meet. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of a pair of wheeled cover sections.

In the present example the cover 1 is divided into six sections and each of these sections is fitted with two pairs of wheels Z, of which one pair is mounted near the centre line of the section 3 transversally, and the other pair near the edge facing away from the stacking position 4. Further, the separate sections are connected to each other with the aid of guide rods 5, of which one end is rotatably mounted to wheel-axles 8 on the middle wheels, and the other end is rotatably mounted to the axles of the neighbouring pair of wheels at the edge facing away from the stacking position.

Wheels 2 have their guides in a specially shaped frame 6, which can, with the aid of lifting devices, be hoisted and lowered in relation to the hatch coaming.

In the drawings in the present example this vertical movement is performed with the aid of small hydraulic bidirectional acting lifters 7, but it will be understood that this movement can also be performed by way of mechanical or pneumatic methods, without thereby deviating from the scope of this invention.

The frame 6 which has its movement outside the hatch coaming 9, is constructed of two pieces of channel iron (sections) welded together and (see Fig. 2) lying with the webs against each other horizontally.

Along the edge of these channel-sections 10 are fixed detachable dished plates projecting upwards and inwards, the object of which is to be able to press the hatch cover down against the hatch coaming. For strength, plates 11 are welded to the ribs 12 and joined to each other by fish plates 13.

The columns 14 for the hydraulic lifters 7 are led through holes fitted in the bulb angle 15 of the hatch coaming and are detachably fixed to the frame 6. Further, the cylinders of the lifters are detachably fixed to deck and hatch coaming.

Along all four sides of the sections are marginal portions including fitted channels wherein packings are laid and fixed. Along the hatch coaming these packings have a different cross section form to those in the butt seams between two neighbouring sections. Packings 16 are divided into two chambers, an upper and a lower, of which the upper chamber is lilled with uid and the lower chamber encloses a steel rail 17a to protect the upper chamber. Further, some softer packing material 17 is 2,945,467 Patented .I ly 19,1960,

ICS

inserted between the steel rail 17a and the bottom wall 16a of the lower chamber.

The external section of this packing 16 is almost square, having two longitudinal wave shaped bulbs 20 projecting inwards in the fluid chamber.

The portions 18 in the transversal joints between the neighbouring sections o-f the packings are constructed with one side at an angle of 45 degrees and they are so mounted that when they rest against each Aother they jointly form an external rectangular section.

The two differently shaped marginal portions are joined at the corners with the aid of specially shaped jointing pieces 19, giving communicating connection between the fluid chambers of the longitudinal portions 16 and the transversal portions 18.

By the transversal joints between the hatch sections an aperture has been devised on the top plate along the edge of the one section to receive corresponding lock rails which are slidably fixed to the neighbouring section.

Starting with the hatch in closed position, the method of procedure is as follows: All lock bolts and lock rails are first loosened, then the frame 6 with the hatch is hoisted up to a suitable sliding position with the aid of the lifters 7. The usual hoist wire is then passed over a snatch block to the farthermost hatch section, and with the aid of the winch the sections are drawn forwards to the stacking position 4. With the aid of the guide rods 5 the sections will here be stacked vertically. Before loading or unloading commences the frame is again lowered so that the dished plate 1l rests against the upper edge of the hatch coaming. On closing the hatch, the procedure is reversed.

In the cast of the tween decks which are today often built with the hatch coaming sunk down flush with the tween deck, the frame can, if desired, remain in the hoisted position, whereby this will form a protective railing round the hatch opening.

I claim:

1. In a hatch cover yarrangement for covering a hatch at the edge of which coamings are located, in combination, a hatch cover composed of a series of interconnected sections; and guide means arranged in the region of the coamings for guiding said sections for horizontal movement relative to the hatch between different positions wherein the hatch is covered to different extents, respectively, said guide means being mounted for vertical movement relative to the hatch between lowered and raised positions and having lower and upper engaging means which cooperate with said sections in such a manner that the same, when they overlie the hatch, are supported upon said lower engaging means during raising and lowering of said guide means and that when said guide means is in said lowered position thereof, said upper engaging means abuts against overlying sections and presses the same downwardly against the coamings.

2. In a hatch cover arrangement for covering a hatch at the edge of which coamings are located, in combination, a hatch cover composed of a series of interconnected sections; guide means arranged in the region of the coamings for guiding said sections for horizontal movement relative to the hatch between different positions wherein the hatch is covered to different extents, respectively, said guide means being mounted for vertical movement relative to the hatch between lowered and raised positions and having lower and upper engaging means which cooperate with said sections in such a manner that the same, when they overlie the hatch, are supported upon said lower engaging means during raising and lowering of said guide means and that when said guide means is in said lowered position thereof, said upper engaging means abuts against overlying sections and presses the same downwardly against the coamings; and means for raising and lowering said guide means.

3. The combination dened in claim 1 wherein said guide means is in the form of a frame, wherein said lower engaging means include a substantially channelshaped member which opens upwardly and wherein said upper engaging means include upwardly and inwardly bent plate means attached to said lower `engaging means. A. -In a hatch lcover adapted to vcover a `hatch at the vedge `Aof which coamings are located, yin combination, a Substantially flat hollow hatch cover section 'including ,marginal portions adapted to engage the coamingskpackrings included ,in said marginal portions with means ydividing said packings into upper and lower chambers having top and bottom walls respectively; and reinforcing rail means located in said lower chambers; and a packing material located in said lower chambers between :said :rail 15 means andsaid bottom walls.

:5. In a hatch cover adapted to `covera hatch at the edge tof which coamings are located, in combination, a .sub-

stantially at'hollow 'hatch cover section including mar ginal portions adapted to engage the coamings; packing included in said marginal portions with means dividing said packings into upper and lower chambers having top and bottom walls respectively; reinforcing rail means located in said lower chambers; a packing material located in said lower chambers between said rail means and said bottom walls; and a fluid located in the upper chamber,

References -Cited in the tile-of ythis patent UNITED STAirES PATENTS 2,376,245 Frick V May 15, 1945 FOREGN PATENTS 422,253 Italy June 13, 1947 834,200 Germany Mar. 17, 1952 863,311 Germany Jan. 15, 1953 

